US air charter companies ask judge to block order requiring them to help pay Cuba judgment

US air charter companies fight Cuba judgment

MIAMI — Eight charter companies that provide air travel between the U.S. and Cuba want to block an order requiring them to help pay a $27 million award won by a woman who said she was tricked into marrying a Cuban spy.

Ana Margarita Martinez says Cuban “defector” Juan Pablo Roque romanced and married her at the behest of the Cuban government in an effort to infiltrate Miami’s Cuban exile community and then fled to the island. She won a judgment against Cuba in 2001. In 2007 a state court ruled the charter companies should pay her fees owed to tour companies on the island. She argued that Cuba indirectly owns the tour companies.

The charter companies’ attorney asked a federal judge Tuesday to halt the order of payments to Martinez. There was no immediate ruling.